EU fines Google €890m for competition breaches over search and apps
Google has been fined €890m (£760m) by the European Commission for breaching the Digital Markets Act, the EU's landmark competition law targeting large tech "gatekeepers". The commission found that Google unfairly prioritised its own services, such as shopping and hotel deals, in search results over rival offerings, and separately blocked app developers from directing users to cheaper deals on outside websites or alternative app stores. The ruling matters because it forces changes that could reshape how European consumers use Google's search engine and shop for apps.
Google was fined €460m for the search-related breach and €430m for the app store violation, and has been ordered to treat rival services fairly in search results while allowing app developers to advertise offers outside its own store. The commission noted Google had already begun testing changes to how it displays results for services like shopping and flights, calling this "substantial progress" towards compliance. The timing is notable, landing hours before a set of temporary US global tariffs was due to expire, though an EU official denied any link to the fine and defended the bloc's "sovereign right" to regulate US tech firms. Google can appeal the decision and seek interim measures, including a suspension of the order.
In short
- EU fines Google €890m for breaching Digital Markets Act rules.
- Google must stop favouring its own services in search results.
- App developers must be allowed to offer cheaper deals elsewhere.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This enforcement action addresses genuine anti-competitive conduct by a dominant platform. Google's practice of prioritising its own services in search results and preventing app developers from directing users to cheaper alternatives represents an abuse of gatekeeping power that impedes fair competition. The Digital Markets Act was designed precisely to address such conduct, and firm enforcement is necessary to ensure compliance and create genuine competitive opportunities for rival services.
The case against
Strict enforcement risks counterproductive consequences for the innovation and user experience that competition ultimately serves. Google's integration of its services may reflect genuine user value rather than unfair advantage, and the company's demonstrated willingness to make voluntary changes suggests lighter regulatory pressure could achieve compliance without prescriptive rules and heavy fines. Regulatory divergence between jurisdictions also creates practical challenges for global platforms seeking to serve different markets fairly.
Explained simply
Google has been fined €890m by the European Union for breaking the Digital Markets Act, a new competition law that requires large tech companies to treat rival services fairly. The commission found that Google favoured its own services—such as shopping comparisons and hotel information—in search results ahead of competitors, and prevented app developers from directing users to cheaper deals elsewhere.
The EU has ordered Google to treat rival services fairly in search results and to allow app developers to direct users to cheaper deals elsewhere. Google has already started making changes to how it displays search results, which the commission considers substantial progress. The company can appeal the fine and ask courts to suspend the order whilst the appeal is heard.
The ruling affects millions of Europeans who use Google's search engine and app store every day. It is part of the EU's broader effort to enforce its own technology regulations independently, with several recent cases brought against major American tech firms.
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